Stubborn Krausen Stains??? Read This!!!

[je52rm]

noob here so im sure I am just repeating something that has been said many times before on this forum but will post this for other noobs in my position.

my LHBS sold me a Brew kit (Glass carboy 5 gallon)with a curved carboy brush and a cleaner included called B-Brite. i have followed the directions exactly as needed and have even left it to soak overnight in my glass carboys and it just doesnt work good for very tough krausen stains. then i tried soaking in a bleach and water solution overnight with the same results. The stuck on krausen mostly came off but still small specks here and there (yikes! invitation for an infection). Then..........Star sans!!!! aaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh (angels singing)

I did an overnight soak in star sans and gave it a quick brush in the morning with my curved carboy brush and i'm telling u its crystal clear!!! I will never even bother doing it any other way now. I usually make my star sans in a big 20 gallon rubbermade storage bin and after cleaning and sanitizing my equipment I just rack into the carboy to sanitize my racking cane/tubing plus keeps star sans from foaming up vs. pouring it in or funneling into carboy.

Hope this helps other noobs that may have encountered the same situation

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I use PBW. Make a solution as hot as you can from the tap and let it sit overnight.

Save the StarSan for sanitizing prior to re-use.

 

[je52rm]

yeah i wanted to try that but when i asked my LHBS guy he kinda scoffed at me and said to just use the B-Brite that they dont carry PBW(Unfortunately he's not the nicest guy) hahahahaha. I will have to order some PBW online to give it a try. thanks Gila

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

yeah i wanted to try that but when i asked my LHBS guy he kinda scoffed at me and said to just use the B-Brite that they dont carry PBW(Unfortunately he's not the nicest guy) hahahahaha. I will have to order some PBW online to give it a try. thanks Gila

Odd that they offer StarSan and not PBW considering they are from the same manufacturer.

And, on another note, I always use the hot water and brush to loosen up/knock off as much as I can before I use the cleaner. Less soil load requires less work from the solution.

 

[je52rm]

yeah as i was saying (and by no means am i trying to degrade anyone or their reputation) in my experiences of going to my LHBS its like Jerry Seinfelds "Soup Nazi" if u know what im talking about. I thought it was odd as well when he said they didnt carry it???? thanks for the info as I am totally hooked on Homebrewing now and am always in search of new methods techniques that work the best.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Early on I had a FEIN and a tax certificate that allowed me to purchase wholesale. So, I sourced the company that my LHBS was buying 5 Star product from and bought a 50lb bucket of PBW, 4 gallons of Acid #5, and a 32 Ounce bottle of StarSan.

I have been brewing going on 7 or 8 years and have barely made a dent in the bucket, have about 29 ounces of the StarSan left, and 3 unopened gallons of the Acid.

Overtime, you learn effective method for miserly use of product where benificial.

Never had an infection that wasn't intended.

 

[je52rm]

nice! im definitely gonna order some PBW online to save $$$ on my star sans. One thing i do to save $$$ when using this method is ill only mix up about 2 gallons of star sans in my rubbermade storage bin(just deep enough to sanitize racking canes, hoses, etc....) then after sanitizing i will rack into glass carboy and cap off with solid stopper and turn the carboy upside down to sit overnight since the stubborn krausen stains are only on the top 5-6 inches of the carboy. that way i dont have to make a whole 5-gallons star sans. I really wanna try the PBW though

probably sounded confusing by me saying that i mixed star sans in a 20 gallon rubbermade bin. i did use that size bin but only mixed 2 gallons star sans hehehe sorry if i confused ya

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I mix a 1 gallon milk jug of star san and a 32 Ounce sprayer.

I spritz the outsides of anything taht needs sanitized and siphon the gallon through any tubing, canes, etc... to get the insides. For buckets, I spritz. For carboys, I dump the gallon jug in, swirl to coat, and then pour the solution back into the gallon jug.

If you mix StarSan with distilled water or reverse osmosis water it will hold it pH thus efficacy virtually forever. I kept a 5 gallon carboy of the stuff for 3 years of regular use with no change in pH.

Just note, Star San is a wet contact sanitizer. Wet contact. Not immersion (even tho this does facilitate wet contact). Further, it's does it's job in 30 seconds of wet contact. So, unless you live in hell where moisture evaporates instantly any surface you spritz will stay wet for 30 seconds or longer.

Used this way. A 32 Ounce bottle of concentrate will last, forever.

 

[je52rm]

oh snap! i was wondering about shelf life of star sans. im def gonna get a couple gallons distilled water. U RULE! thanks!